I saw The Hunger Games this weekend and wanted to share my thoughts. There are spoilers here.

I’ve already written about the whole trilogy and my thoughts on talking points a Christian can take away from it, and the movie really brought to light a number of the things that I wrote about there. I’m not going to bother to summarize the movie here. Rather, I’m going to provide what I found to be some talking points that Christians can take away from the movie along with my general observations. At the end I include a brief note for parents who might be concerned with their children seeing the film. See also my look at “Catching Fire.”

Christian Talking Points

The movie portrays a world in which there is a stark contrast between those in power and those without it. District 12, whence Katniss Everdeen hails, is a bleak place. The imagery seen on screen evokes mental images of the Great Depression and the photography from that era. There are sad faces looking out the windows, people marching to the coal mines, and children playing with sticks in the mud because they have nothing else with which to play.

That contrasts starkly with the decadence of the Capitol. At the Capitol, the people spend their time on frivolity. They decorate themselves as much as they decorate the places around them. Their showers cover them with the scent of the day; they can bring up whatever pleasant imagery they would like on their screens; their food is the best; they do whatever they want.

The imagery throughout the movie portrays this stark contrast. The children themselves are called upon to battle to the death, yet everyone is congratulating them as though this is some great honor and opportunity. They are required to dress their best for the “reaping” in which the Capitol personnel select contestants who will fight in the arena. The people of the Capitol pack the stands to watch the introductions and interviews of the contestants; they cheer wildly for their favorites and root for those they choose. Yet the whole time the movie makes it clear there is something deeply wrong happening. How can these people be so excited, so utterly out-of-touch with reality, when children’s lives are at stake?

The world of the Hunger Games is a commentary on our own. The world in which we live is one in which our greatest goal is comfort, yet their are children dying in our streets from starvation. This is not just far away, it is right in our own country. This is just one talking point for Christians and the Hunger Games: what is it that we should be doing to curb our own “capitol”-like tendencies?

Yet it seems like that alone doesn’t take it far enough. The film also portrays clearly the level to which people deceive themselves about right and wrong. There is a struggle in the movie (and the books) that goes beyond the strangeness of the contrast between the districts and the Capitol. The struggle is a fight over what is right and wrong. The society of the Capitol has relativized morality. They have decided that might makes right and that their comfort is the greatest good. Yet the entire movie gives imagery to that view and one can’t help but notice the feeling that something is just wrong throughout the film. How is it these people who are living lives of such great comfort are so oblivious? The meaning is subtle, but it is throughout the whole movie: there simply is something wrong, and it is the dismissive attitude with which people treat right and wrong when it comes to their own comfort and desires.

It is telling that President Snow comments on the reason the Hunger Games have a winner is in order to give hope, but “too much hope” is a bad thing. As the leader of the Capitol, Snow realizes the power of hope and how it can work even better than fear to control the masses. As long as he provides the districts with hope, he has them in control. But if they get too much hope, they will break, and the cracks start to show near the end of the movie.

The Hunger Games, I think, provide a stunning critique of our society. We live in the Capitol; we exist in a society which relativizes morality for its own convenience. And when we are presented with it in our face, when the imagery of a film like The Hunger Games shows us the very kind of decadence and futility which we so often celebrate, we are repulsed. The wrongness of the situation comes to the forefront and we must act.

Christians, I think, have much to take away from the movie (and books). We know that there is wrong in the world, and we know the dangers of comfort and futility–we are warned of these things in our Scriptures. The Christian path is one which fights against this futility and points to the one true Hope: that of our savior.

A Word to Parents

This is not a film for children. It is rated PG-13 and I think could very easily have been R. Children are killing each other. The film is, however, I think appropriate for teenagers, and parents who keep in mind some of the talking points listed above could utilize the film as a way to discuss some of the very real world issues it hints at.

For those concerned with whether Christians can/should use movies like this to interact with the culture, check out my post on “Engaging Culture” with movies.

SDG.

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About J.W. Wartick

J.W. Wartick has an MA in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. His interests include theology, philosophy of religion--particularly the existence of God--astronomy, biology, archaeology, and sci-fi and fantasy novels.

Discussion

41 thoughts on “The Hunger Games Movie: A Christian Perspective”

This is definitely the best critique of The Hunger Games that Ive read. Most of the ones I’ve read on other Christian sites are awful and shallow. Too many people are condemning the book on the basis of it’s violence without realizing that’s part of the goal of the book! Good job J.W

I have to agree that I like this critique. What I find pretty amazing is that weather you go to public school, christian school or are home schooled we all learned about killing in our history class. I think it is funny that it is “ok” for us to learn about the holocaust and see graphic pics and movies about adults killing kids.. But it is an out rage if we see kids killing kids.. Not to mention the majority of the German soldiers were barley old enough to shave. Also for those people who most state they are christians and expose there children to horrific abortion posters and movies.. I saw those before I was even a tween..
My point is yes this is violent.. I think as christians we should take a long look and see how sad a world without Christ is.. and see how this could be a reality.. and in some ways it is! Look at how our society parallels that of the capitols.. See how so many people are worked to the bone for so little pay.. children are starving and dying in the streets.. instead of sending our children to kill other children to survive.. we send our children to be sex slaves and sex trafficked.. we send them to die a slow excruciating death!! I could go on and on.. As a parent we do have to work extra hard to protect our children.. and if you think your child shouldn’t see this movie that is your choice.. but as this critic is trying to get across lets use what we have..

An irony: the message of the trilogy [and the movie itself] is against this sort of violence, yet people behind me in the theater cheered at the death of one of the children they saw as evil, reflecting the Capitol audiences. Which is simply a reminder that film is an entirely different medium than print, impacting the senses more than than our intelligence.

Talking points? This movie (and the books as well) are out there for entertainment, regardless of the author’s agenda. Please, show me one place in the Word of God where Jesus uses violence to teach others. You can’t. Violence begats violence . . . just as sin begats sin. This is not entertaining, nor is it educational. I am a follower of Jesus. I answer to Him and therefore, cannot even imagine jeopardizing the hearts of my children with this kind of “educational entertainment.” I suggest to those who feel the need to educate their children to get back in the Word of God, instead of using the world’s system.

However, as a person who has studied philosophy, you should understand that the philosophy behind this movie is naturalistic. There is no mention of God, or HIs plan, am I wrong. Scripture says, “As a man thinks, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) When we saturate our minds with secular and wordly philosophies, we are lead astray from God’s word. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11) I am concerned when we as Christians are being led by modern culture, and not us leading the way.

I think this commits a fallacy that A.T. Ross points out here, which is that people object to things not being explicitly Christian. It is possible to have thematic Christianity–or even themes which Christians can utilize, without being explicitly Christian. One can bring to mind Lord of the Rings as an example of this. I really recommend reading Ross’ post.

This is the best response that I have seen as well. So many reviews are black and white and this challenges Christians to engage the books in a way that might awaken us to the realities of our own culture. We live in such an entitled, pleasure seeking culture!!

While I understand the idea of teaching larger issues of society, couldn’t those points be made without the concept of children intentionally killing other children? If everything in the film was the same, except the instead of kids killing each other, they raped each other. The winner was the last child who didn’t get raped – would the film be K then? I just think as Christians this film is a horrific concept. Children killing children for the entertainment of others – and we gladly go pay to see this and let our kids watch this. Then we wonder why our society is a mess. I don’t understand how any believer coulod watch this and not be offended – deeply.

One thing I’d note is that equivocating between rape and killing is an issue as it stands already. Substituting them out is purely hypothetical and doesn’t do much to discredit the possibility of discussing the film at hand.

Further, it seems clear to me that the movie is saying the killing is wrong, and in fact it makes it explicit at a few points, for example when Cato meets up with Katniss and Peeta towards the end. Now most would say it’s obvious killing is wrong, but they then miss the subtlety. As I argue in this post, it seems to me that one of the main points is a commentary on our own society, in which children are dying as we delight in our own decadence. The fact that killing is happening increases the effect of this commentary. Whether one wants to object with the portrayal is a different matter.

One could easily point to the children soldiers used in the civil wars of Africa, to the teaching of hatred of others at an early age. Most forms of entertainment teach us something about ourselves, explicitly or implicitly. As you’ve stated, visions of the future–through the arts–are really reflections and often critiques on the present.

Dear “the short bald guy”…
Thank you so much for your post. I saw the movie with my 13 year old daughter because I wanted to be informed on the craze. My words exactly…. “couldn’t those points be made without the concept of children intentionally killing other children?” I felt sick to my stomach over that one point. I understand there is a bigger message, but the audience going to see this film is LARGELY 13-21 year olds…. yes some go with parents, but MANY do not. And so my concern is that there is not a parent there to discuss the big concept that goes beyond the killings, with their children….. so truly, the killings is what many of our kids focus on. It left me sick to my stomach that we used our children in this. It isn’t worth the lesson you may think it is teaching. Why not something besides killing?
Agree with me or not….. I know that the more your eye sees something vulgar, wrong, or immoral, the more it can take on a sense of “normalcy”. It felt like I was watching “survivor” with the alliances at some points. The killing just seemed like a natural twist put on that type of show. I had to fight my mind to not be ok with this. If I had to at my age, imagine young people whose minds are still being formed watching this, and how it would impact them. I just think the killing of children was wrong in the movie with the target audience being what it is, REGARDLESS the lesson. I wish I wouldn’t have had my daughter see it at all.

Children can be impressionable, but I think it important to point out that children will probably come away with the idea that people killing other people for entertainment is sick and evil — yes, children t(w)eens can be immature and come out with the wrong idea, but they’re not idiots, either, which a lot of people seem to forget.

This got me thinking about how the story can be a real critique of many things in (especially) Western culture. I think it’s a challenge for Christians in two ways. First, for us to consider our own role in the culture. But secondly, understanding this gives us a way to talk to others about Christian values, and what’s really important (such as the Gospel). In my opinion, this is a way movies in general could be used by believers, as ways to illustrate spiritual truths that people need to hear. Thanks for making us think.

This is a time line of all the school shootings in the US and around the world. I don’t think that these kind of messages in these kind of movies are coming across very strongly to our young.
THERE ARE CLASSES PROMOTING THESE BOOKS TO 9 AND 10 Y/O. REALLY???!!! Millions of tweens, teenagers, are going to see this movie and not to mention that EXACTLY who this movie is targeting.

Sometimes it is black and white.

Now for the emotion:

Yes, there are is ALOT of evil we are ignoring. Darfur a modern day genocide, child slavery, hunger in somalia etc. are just a few examples. But I will first and foremostdo this….. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
(Mat 6:31-33)

Not once have I seen you use scripture in ANY of your arguements and that has me VERY skeptical. I have given you FACTS but I WILL close with scripture also.

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

This is from a devotion:

“I will set no worthless thing before my eyes… I will know nothing of evil” (Psa 101:3-4).

There are many “worthless” things that clamor for your heart. But David said “I will set before my eyes no “vile” thing…I will have nothing to do with evil” (NIV); or as the KJV puts it, “I will set no “wicked” thing before my eyes.” In the NT we are admonished to “Abstain from all appearance of evil (1Th 5:22 KJV).

IF you really think my God my Jesus is approving of this movie and it’s awesome hidden messages. Keep telling yourself that if that makes you sleep at night.

How is watching kids hunting and killing kids not anything but WORTHLESS???

SETTING CHRISTIANITY ASIDE FOR A MOMENT. HOW CAN ANYONE ENJOY WATCHING KIDS GET BUTCHERED? WATCHING THE RUTHLESSNESS AND EVILNESS OF MAN KIND IN THE FORM CHILDREN. Even for an AWESOME,WELL THOUGHT OUT, LIFE CHANGING UNDERLINING message? AND MY NEXT QUESTION…WHY IS ANYONE DEFENDING IT?

Exactly. No one should enjoy watching kids get butchered. This was not an entertainment movie. God used plenty of gory and violent stories in the Bible to show how twisted man is. And just like the movie (and books) He displays incredible sacrificial love and compassion. This was a movie that was intended to shove our desensitized minds in the right direction. That every human life is valuable and violence and death is absolutely horrible. I can’t even get myself to play half-way violent video games right now because of this movie. It truly made me ashamed of my acceptance of violence. I only wish that the people in The Hunger Games could have had Jesus to look to for hope. I think if you have a mature audience that recognizes the sinfulness of man, then I think this is an awesome movie to make you think about many important, spiritual things.

Frankly
Having read all 3 books a year ago before all this hoopla and then having seen the movie recently – I think in general here & parents on tv just have your pants in a wad – what it comes down to is educating your own children – similar style novel have been around for years & have been taught in our school systems (ex: Fahrenheit 451, 1984, animal farm – with similar political & philosophical points – also very gruesome). I find the evening news harder to tolerate. Shooting after shooting after murder – I can explain a book to my child – why he cant walk down a street, I can’t. Don’t we have more to worry about, really? Let your kid read or don’t – it’s just a book/movie – is it really getting all wound up about?

Exactly….so much violence in the world. Why are willing to voluntarily subject are kids to it? Do you think possibly that is why your kid can’t walk down the street. Did you even read the list of school shootings on that link? I guess it’s all circumstantial? WAKE UP PEOPLE. SO WHAT IF PEOPLE HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST! THEY WEREN’T GEARIiNG IT TO MY 9 AND 13 Y/O ALSO. BELIEVE MEI WON’T LET THEM READ THAT CRAP. The reason evilness exists in this world is because we tolerate it! And continue to say what’s the big deal? Maybe if more parents got their pants in a wad, those parents of the murdered children in the above link would have their kids to worry about. CHILDREN MURDERING OTHER CHILDREN FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND ITS A BLOCKBUSTER HIT AND EVERYONE THINKS NO BIG DEAL…….WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?

It’s PG-13, so these KIDS shouldn’t be watching it anyway. As a Christian, I know how to handle a story/movie like that and filter it through my biblical lenses. (I’m talking about movies that don’t have anything immoral in them except for of course the violence). And here is where I partially agree with you: the rest of the ungodly world probably is looking at this movie for entertainment, possibly reversing the intent of the filmmaker and author. But then again, if we always remained silent on a subject that speaks to us because we were afraid people would not understand our message, then this would be a sorrier world.

I do not think it is a matter of toleration. Let’s go back to the beginning of Adam and Eve. God has showed us that each of us has to take responsibility for our own action, not of others, but of our own life. We are to live as an example. And if all you have gotten out of the book that it is ok for children to kill, then I think you may have missed the fact that two children in the end chose to take a different path. Just like God shows us when we have done something wrong, he let’s us change and do the right thing.

You just have to look at the case of Daniel Bartlam, Of Nottingham, England, who killed his mother with a hammer after being inspired by a murder on a Soap Opera, to realise the inherent dangers of some forms of popular culture. I can see your argument Mr Wartick, but tend to agree with Angelique. There are so many Anti-Christian influences on our youth today, wouldn’t it be better to focus our intellectual attentions on writing a new novel to direct people to the Lord Jesus Christ? Phil 4:8.

I apologised to my own children for allowing them to attend this movie with some friends..Seemingly innocent fiction that I had been reassured by other(adults) that it was pretty tame and really aimed at teenagers.. My daughter (early 20’s!) said that in one part she was brought to tears thinking of how young ones watching it may be affected..actually she left the theatre to regain composure!..She told me that she would have left then had it not
been for the others(younger) with her..One 18 year old snuggled into her upon her return and whispered”I didn’t
think it was like this”.

Throughout her Youth Worker training and dealing with some children from violent situations,she concluded that this film is not in any way “normal” or helpful to young minds.It was against the very things she had learnt to restore normality to their lives. With pretty/handsome children killing each other, guided by adults..and cheered on..the children were encouraged to hurt each other..with no no value on life. She felt it could play on the minds of younger viewers..including even a suicide scene..

My 16 year old son was very shocked that the film led you into knowing each character he felt in a personal way, only in horror to watch their violent demise..He also felt no children were good or bad..said he felt a numbness and
a feeling of there being no solution..no good ending..unlike, he said other movies where there is definate feeling of justice to the “baddies” , ie Lord of the Rings/Star Wars..good overpowers evil …which wasn’t evident in this film.

The Bible speaks harshly against those who cause a child to sin..(Matt. 18 5-7), and says “Do not repay evil for evil” (Rom 12.17). ..and commands …”Do not murder”,( Exodus 20.13) among many instructions…but furthermore ,if you use Phil. 4.8 as a guide: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things” , then this film is falling way short. I am sorry I enabled them to go..however, I guess they have a voice now if others sing it’s praises..and I am proud they are able to see the film for it’s true nature..a money making exercise..with no regard to the effects on the audience, mainy teenagers.My advice:If you must let your children go, go with them! Talk about it.

First, it is important to note that this is only the first of a trilogy, so it’s not as though there is no eventual “justice.” It’s like judging LOTR by the Fellowship of the Ring alone.

Second, as has been noted, and I explicitly point out in this post, the movie is not at all for children. Frankly, those concerned with the content of movies should do the investigation beforehand to see whether they think it will have anything appropriate. Numerous Christian sites are dedicated to movie reviews or feature movie reviews which will let parents decide these situations. It is the parents’ responsibility to look after their children and monitor the content they see–whether a movie, online, or the like.

Finally, you wrote “The Bible speaks harshly against those who cause a child to sin… this film is falling way short. I am sorry I enabled them to go..however, I guess they have a voice now if others sing it’s praises..and I am proud they are able to see the film for it’s true nature..a money making exercise..with no regard to the effects on the audience, mainy teenagers.”

I think this really misses the point of the film and the books. As I point out in this post the very point of the movie is to show how these things are great evils while simultaneously featuring the thoughtful undertone that this is exactly what is happening in countries like our own. As we have children starving in our streets, we focus on our own comforts, just like those in the Capital in relation to those in District 12. As we search for ever greater forms of entertainment, we care not who we trample (again, exactly analogous to the situation in the film). Those who are missing these points are seemingly not paying much attention to the film. Nowhere does it glorify violence; throughout the entire movie the sense is that something is very, very wrong. Further, it offers a commentary on the decadence of society in light of the poor and downtrodden. I can’t help but think that Christians who miss the messages here aren’t reflecting on the film much, if at all.

I have written a post about Christians interacting with the culture via movies, some of it in response to the comments in here. I would appreciate it if readers would check it out. See “Engaging Culture.“

Don’t be deceived, the Hunger Games is a shameful thing. It’s another attempt to de-moralize the public by wrapping gratuitous violence of almost the worst kind (there is worse) in a shroud of “morality” and intellectualism. This is another example of Social Marxism. Social Marxists work towards destroying the family unit through wicked means such as this type of film. The end result of Social Marxism may very well be a society like that depicted in the film; devoid of morality and eager to sacrifice children in horrific ways. Wake Up.

Wow. I must ask, Did you read the books or see the movies? The violence in the books is not gratuitous. It all points to the needlessness of violence.

I must also ask, Do you know the definition of Social Marxism (probably better termed Marxist Socialism)? Again, had you read the books or seen the movie, you would know that this is not about Marxist Socialism. It stands against any governmental structure which puts the comforts and lives of the rulers (or elite or “righteous”) ahead of the common person. This includes monarchies, communism, and oligarchies (of which our children have a greater chance of encountering than you might understand).

These books (and movies) try to lift up the dignity and virtuousness of the common person. These books (and movies) try to help us open our eyes to the suffering of those (of equal value to God) around us in our communities, countries, and globally.